Tinsel: A Shifter of Consequence Holiday Tale (Shifters of Consequence Book 8) Read online

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  Tinsel

  A Shifter of Consequence Tale

  Copyright 2020 by Mazzy J. March

  ISBN: 978-1-68361-464-7

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Decadent Publishing LLC

  Table of Contents

  Academy Books from Decadent Publishing You Might Enjoy

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Epilogue

  An Excerpt from Tremble

  I’ve got my men and my tree, but I’m missing something…actually a lot of things. The alpha’s tree is expected to be huge and inviting, and mine is just blah. Tris and Samson are taste-testing my cookies, but it doesn’t seem like enough.

  As the alpha female, I have to do better.

  And by better, I mean impress the pack.

  Samson is as good as Scrooge, and Tris is right behind him. I need to get these two on board. Christmas has to be spectacular. Presents, trees, decorations, food. My first Christmas with my harem has to be perfect. That’s what it’s all about, right?

  Tinsel is the 8th book in a paranormal reverse harem shifter series featuring members of the Midnight Alder pack. This is a special holiday surprise story featuring Christie and her mates as well as Wendi and hers and all the wolves of the pack. It is a why choose werewolf romance with a slow burn buildup sure to make your toes curl. Relationships develop over the course of this supernatural series and, of course, Mazzy guarantees an HEA.

  Academy Books from Decadent Publishing You Might Enjoy

  The Lycan Academy by Mazzy J. March

  First Howling

  Second Growl

  Third Snarl

  Jaded Love

  The Academy of Fire and Ash by Mazzy J. March

  Betrayed by Dragons

  Coveted by Dragons

  Mated to Dragons

  Alien Academy by Jenna M. Jett

  First Contact

  Second Sighting

  Third Encounter

  Shifters of Consequence

  Survivor

  Legacy

  Triumph

  Dominion

  Torn

  Tether

  Tremble

  Tinsel

  Tinsel

  A Shifter of Consequence Holiday Tale

  By

  Mazzy J. March

  Chapter One

  “Why are you wobbling? I’m the one who is pregnant and about to pop. Seriously, it’s like shopping with a penguin.” My best friend Wendi had a big belly because she was pregnant, but I had a food baby from the huge Thanksgiving meal the day before, and it was kicking back.

  “This food baby thing is no joke. I mean, usually, my metabolism is fast and I can run off the excess, but damn, that stuffing is sticking to me this year.”

  She stopped dead in her tracks and shifted the multitudes of bags in her hands. She did have four mates and a baby on the way to shop for after all. The maroon turtleneck sweater I bought her with the Santa on the belly looked good on her.

  “Well, there are other ways to work off the excess food. Sneak into your Samson’s office and make better use of that very large leather chair of his. Did I tell you about the time Brandon and I—”

  “Nope. Don’t want to know.” I waved my hands in front of her. “Besides, Samson was busy, and he said under no circumstances could we fool around in his office again. Something about not being able to concentrate. And Tris worked a twelve-hour day and was exhausted.”

  “Well, we just need to shop more. But first, I need sugar. I smell cookies.”

  Of course, she smelled cookies. We were right by Sweety’s, the local bakery, and they had amped up their production of Christmas cookies sometime in the night, judging by the immaculate window display. They made the best holiday cookie sculptures, and this year was no disappointment. Castles were the theme, with glistening sugar snow everywhere.

  “Fine. You can have cookies, but I’m not responsible for your sugar low afterward. You know how you get after too much sugar. It’s all giggles and giddiness until the low hits.”

  She rolled her eyes and tried to throw up her hands, but she was encumbered by the number of bags again. “Don’t be such a fuddy duddy. Pregnancy was made for cookies and vice versa. You’ll know one day.”

  I scoffed, but a whisper of hope fluttered in my belly.

  The place had every shade of gingerbread, sugar, and even egg nog brownies, and Wendi helped herself to one of each, swearing she was only going to take a bite of each and then leave the rest for her mates.

  We all knew better.

  There was exactly one half of a gingerbread cookie left for the four of them to fight over, but knowing them and the way they spoiled her, Sweety’s would have a visit from them again soon and at their female’s request.

  They were probably getting her an island or a small European country for Christmas, knowing those four.

  “More shopping?” I chuckled, turning of the tables. She was now patting her rounded belly and groaning.

  “I still have to buy Escher something, and I have no freaking clue what. I mean, is there a protector-almost-emo wolf store around here?” She laughed, but the description of Escher was so on point.

  “How about a nice, black cashmere sweater? You know to match his…other persona?”

  She got up from the table and cursed her bags. “You want me to buy him a matching sweater…?” She leaned closer. “His wolf?”

  We were among humans, after all.

  “You have a better idea?”

  She scanned the rows of shops around us through the window of the bakery. “No. Let’s go to the nearest sweater store, and then I think I’m calling one of my mates to come get me and tapping out. I hate to leave you high and dry, but—”

  “But your feet are killing you, and the sugar low has kicked your ass?” I finished for her.

  Her shoulders sagged. “Yeah. That.”

  An hour later, she had picked out not only the sweater but leather gloves and a scarf I was sure Escher would only wear because Wendi bought it.

  It was Moss who came and picked her up minutes later in front of the store.

  I stood there, wondering what to buy for my mates. They were so completely different. There was no way, just like Wendi, I could get them the same thing.
r />   Still, I was stumped. Plus, as the alpha female, it was expected I would decorate the alpha’s house for Christmas, though I’d argued with Samson for three days about the machismo attitude making it the female’s job.

  We finally agreed if it were left to him, we would probably have a Christmas tree decorated with Oreos.

  I gave up and went to my car, my shoulders and mind laden with more questions than answers. This was our first Christmas together. I had to make it special. Their gifts had to be perfect. The house had to be perfect.

  Perfection. That was what Christmas had to be, right?

  Chapter Two

  I did a little more shopping before following Wendi to the pack lands. I probably could have fit her into my little car, but adding all the packages we both had to my swollen friend would have been a tight uncomfortable fit. So, when she said she was calling her mate for a ride, I didn’t protest. Plus, it gave me a little time to shop for her. She’d admired a beautiful silver necklace, an elegant chain from which dangled four wolves so lifelike they looked as if they were about to leap into the air.

  I dashed to Town Gifts and Jewelry, excited to have an idea of what to buy for my best friend. I didn’t have much for my guys yet, but one thing at a time! I arrived as an older woman wearing a T-shirt that said Christmas is for Lovers was just turning a key in the lock. It wasn’t very late, but in a small town, sometimes, stores had erratic hours for various reasons. With a million things to do between now and the holiday celebrations, I was so hoping to cross one name off my list, so I waved my arms and called, “Hello? Can I buy one thing really fast?”

  The woman touched her ear and shook her head but then smiled and opened the door. “May I help you, dearie?” She was the cutest thing I’d ever seen. Very Mrs. Santa with her white hair and twinkling eyes, mom jeans, and low, fur-lined boots. Her earrings were golden jingle bells, and her necklace a candy cane covered with enough glitter to sparkle into spring. “I have to go make the bank deposit.”

  “May I come in just long enough to buy a necklace for a Christmas present? My friend saw it when we were by a little earlier, but I don’t think you were in the shop at the time.”

  She winked, closing one bright-blue eye for a second. “Because you’d remember me? I might have been in the back. My assistant was here, too. A young man wearing the least Christmassy outfit on the planet?”

  I could see him in my mind’s eye. Black from head to toe, full tattoo sleeves… “Yes, that’s who we saw. A little surly?”

  Her giggle was like the jingle bells dangling from her ears. “That’s him. My sister’s youngest boy. Sheldon. She begged me to hire him, and while he has a way to go, we’ll get him in the holiday spirit soon enough. My husband hasn’t lost one yet.” She shook her head. “But that’s not what you needed. I’ll keep you talking all day if you let me.” And just as if I was not the one keeping her from her tasks, she waved me in. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” Clearly, the owner. Most employees wouldn’t be so quick to change their plans for a sale, especially when they didn’t know how big it would be.

  “No, you are very kind to do this. Are you sure it’s all right?”

  “Of course, dear. The bank isn’t going anywhere, and just like everywhere most of our sales are on cards, so if I don’t go today I will go tomorrow. What item did your friend like?”

  “It was right around here.” I paced halfway toward the back to a glass case filled with silver and semi-precious stones. Not like a mall store with all its diamonds and things. But I’d always liked this sort of jewelry better anyway. I hadn’t looked carefully when Wendi showed me, having been caught up in a display of handwoven throws at the time, so it took me a minute. “Oh, there it is. The necklace with the four wolves.”

  “You have good taste.” Oops, sounded expensive. “But those are charms and can be added to as well.” She drew out the necklace on its velvet base and set it on top of the counter. “I think your friend might like even a few more?”

  “Charms? Isn’t that something you add to as things come up?” I didn’t really know how it worked but had seen some commercials showing people getting them for graduations and ice skating trophies and I didn’t know what all.

  “Exactly.” The helpful shopkeeper pulled out a small box from a drawer under the display. “Here is what I think you might like to add. I’ll make you a good deal since you’re my best customer so far this afternoon.” She pushed the box toward me.

  I lifted the lid to see a wolf about the same size as the others but somehow more svelte, as if you knew it was supposed to be female. And three smaller pups. I lifted my gaze to meet her eyes. “You think she needs these, too.”

  She nodded.

  “For the future.”

  She got busy wrapping everything up. As she was tying a big red bow on the package, I shook myself out of my fog and recognized something very important. “I didn’t pay you yet. What’s my total?”

  She pushed the packages across the case to me. “Let’s say it’s a gift from Mrs. Santa, dear.”

  “No I couldn’t possibly take them for free!” I was beginning to wonder if this woman was completely there or if she had some kind of problem. Was this really even her store?

  “I know what I’m doing. The person receiving these is very special.” Before I could protest, she gave me that big wink. “But if you want to buy a few other gifts, I would be happy to take your money.”

  I left the store with my arms piled with bags. My alphas were receiving watches and leather jackets and at least a dozen other gifts, and I had some nice things for Gigi as well as other friends. I’d more than made up for the freebies, I hoped, although they were beautiful and unique. And I thought they might be antiques.

  I filled my car and drove home, voice- texting Wendi along the way to let her know I’d be hiding everything in the guest apartment over the garage where the guys never went. She met me, and I tucked her present in my jacket pocket before we stowed everything in the closets of the neglected little unit. We would need to fix it up as soon as we got a chance. It didn’t look good for the alpha’s guest quarters to be unusable.

  Chapter Three

  There were lots of things we needed to do to get ready for the holiday. As pack first lady, my duties were clear. I had to make this a holiday season to remember for everyone. Especially my mates.

  To my horror, I’d been unable to find any decorations at all, not for the alpha house or for the clearing where we usually gathered. I didn’t want to cut down a tree, but there was no need since at the edge of the forest stood a perfectly shaped specimen, at least fifty or more feet tall. We could decorate it where it stood, a centerpiece for the pack celebrations.

  But in order to do that, I’d need to make some purchases. I’d approached Samson the night before and requested pack funds to buy decorations and he’d handed me a pack credit card. With that in hand, dressed warmly, a holiday scarf and knitted hat topping off the ensemble I was an eager holiday shopper. An image of those jingle bell earrings appeared in my mind. Did they sell them in the shop?

  I drove to Wendi’s home a few hundred yards from ours and honked my horn. The door opened, and Moss waved to me then held up one finger. I waved and settled back. As she got closer to her due date, my friend took longer to do, well, anything. If I had to guess, at this point, she was beginning her ponderous descent of the stairs with one of her mates hovering at her side. Eventually, she would waddle her way out the door and down the steps then heave her bulging self into my car. Next time, I’d ask her to get started before I left my home to save time.

  Or I wouldn’t. Because, when you love someone, you need patience. Not very long ago, she’d been very upset with her mates being too solicitous, but now she was far enough along to welcome their help, and it seemed all things were smooth as silk. I was not naive enough to believe any couple, must less a group of five, would never have any minor blips, but overall, their relationship seemed enviously happy.

&nbs
p; Since my mates had accepted ours, and accepted one another as brothers again, our home was also a pretty darn happy place to be. But we still had no signs of holiday cheer, either in the decorations or in my mates’ attitudes. When I brought it up, asked questions about pack traditions, they were very lackadaisical, dismissive even. So far as I could discern, there were no traditions to speak of. Some members had their own private celebrations of various sorts, but their alpha father had treated the winter holidays as requiring no particular acknowledgement.

  Tris and Samson…—and Brandon for that matter—had never even had a gift from Santa. Other packs didn’t have this attitude. And since I’d been here, I’d really not paid attention for some reason. I had celebrated growing up and had a little tree wherever I lived or whatever. But as first lady, I could not allow things to continue as they were. This pack’s year had been fraught with anxiety and stress and they deserved to relax and have a great time.

  To celebrate the fact we’d survived and could look forward to a great future under our new leadership.

  Wendi came out alone, surprising me, but as she worked herself into the seat, she said, “The other guys all left early this morning and didn’t know I had plans. They were all whispering and acting very mysterious.”

  “Why?” I was concerned, my mind zooming to kidnappings and other terrible things. “Is everything okay?”

  She gave me a look full of confusion. “Right before Christmas, you have to ask?”

  “Do you mean…?”

  “Presents for pretty girls? Or in my case, beached whales?” She gave her bump an affectionate pat. “Don’t worry, baby, I don’t mind looking like one as long as you’re doing well in there.”

  “Oh.” You’d think it would have been my first thought. I needed to chill! “Any idea what they are getting?”